Protecting brain health is a lifelong effort, and new findings from the Advent Health Research Institute suggest that regular exercise could play a meaningful role. Researchers report that maintaining a consistent aerobic workout routine may help the brain remain biologically younger. This could translate into sharper thinking, stronger memory, and better overall well-being.

In the study, adults who completed a structured year-long aerobic exercise program had brains that appeared almost one year “younger” than those of participants who did not increase their physical activity.

How Scientists Measured Brain Age

The findings, published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, focused on whether aerobic exercise could slow or possibly reverse “brain age.” Brain age is estimated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which compares how old a brain appears to a person’s actual age. A higher brain-predicted age difference (brain-PAD), indicates that the brain looks older than expected. Previous research has connected higher brain-PAD scores with weaker physical and cognitive performance and a greater risk of mortality.

“We found that a simple, guideline-based exercise program can make the brain look measurably younger over just 12 months,” said Dr. Lu Wan, lead author and data scientist at the AdventHealth Research Institute. “Many people worry about how to protect their brain health as they age. Studies like this offer hopeful guidance grounded in everyday habits. These absolute changes were modest, but even a one-year shift in brain age could matter over the course of decades.”

Inside the 12 Month Clinical Trial

The clinical trial enrolled 130 healthy adults aged 26 to 58. Participants were randomly assigned to either a moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise group or a usual-care control group. Those assigned to exercise completed two supervised 60-minute sessions each week in a laboratory setting and added home workouts to reach about 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week. This level matches recommendations from the American College of Sports Medicine.

Researchers performed brain MRI scans and measured cardiorespiratory fitness using peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) at the beginning and end of the 12-month study.

Exercise Reduced Brain Age

After one year, the exercise group showed a measurable decrease in brain age, while the control group experienced a slight increase. On average, brain-PAD in the exercise group dropped by about 0.6 years, meaning their brains appeared younger at follow-up. In contrast, the control group’s brains appeared about 0.35 years older, though that change was not statistically significant. Overall, the difference between the two groups approached one full year in favor of the exercise group.

“Even though the difference is less than a year, prior studies suggest that each additional ‘year’ of brain age is associated with meaningful differences in later-life health,” said Dr. Kirk I. Erickson, senior author of the study and a neuroscientist and director at AdventHealth Research Institute and the University of Pittsburgh. “From a lifespan perspective, nudging the brain in a younger direction in midlife could be very important.”

Why the Brain Benefits Remain Unclear

To better understand how exercise affected brain age, the team examined several potential factors, including improvements in fitness, changes in body composition, blood pressure, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, a protein involved in brain plasticity. Although fitness improved, none of these factors accounted for the reduction in brain-PAD observed in the study.

“That was a surprise,” Wan noted. “We expected improvements in fitness or blood pressure to account for the effect, but they didn’t. Exercise may be acting through additional mechanisms we haven’t captured yet, such as subtle changes in brain structure, inflammation, vascular health, or other molecular factors.”

Targeting Midlife for Long-Term Brain Health

Many previous studies on exercise and brain health have focused on older adults, when age-related changes are already more advanced. This research instead examined adults in early to mid adulthood, when brain changes are less noticeable but preventive strategies may have a greater long-term impact.

“Intervening in the 30s, 40s, and 50s gives us a head start,” Erickson said. “If we can slow brain aging before major problems appear, we may be able to delay or reduce the risk of later-life cognitive decline and dementia.”

What the Findings Mean

The researchers caution that participants were healthy and generally well educated, and the reductions in brain age were modest. Larger studies with longer follow-up are needed to determine whether lowering brain-PAD through exercise reduces the risk of stroke, dementia, or other age-related brain diseases.

“People often ask, ‘Is there anything I can do now to protect my brain later?’” Erickson said. “Our findings support the idea that following current exercise guidelines — 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity — may help keep the brain biologically younger, even in midlife.”